


Tonight

by TrizTMarshall



Series: This is a Benthan safe corner [1]
Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, I think Ilsa is a bit OOC, Light Angst, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, poor Benji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 11:36:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17406197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrizTMarshall/pseuds/TrizTMarshall
Summary: Ilsa goes to see Benji at his house. In front of a cup of tea, Benji tells her about his intentions with Ethan.Benji walked away from Ilsa and he stood on tiptoe to catch the kettle. He watched it for a moment, as if he has no idea how to use it, and then picked up the water when Ilsa laid a hand on his forearm.Enjoy!





	Tonight

The bell rang before Benji could press play.

«I'll think about it, Ethan» Benji said with a wave of his hand, but Ethan got up anyway. Benji preceded him and looked through the peephole, then immediately opened the door.

«Hi, Ilsa! You see, Ethan?».

She winced and stretched her neck in the same direction she was looking at Benji: «Hi» she waved uncertainly and Ethan gave her a wave of his hand.

«What – come in, come in – what are you doing here?» the technician asked stepping aside to let Ilsa in.

«I went to greet you, at the IMF headquarter they said to me that you were here».

«Yeah, they… Do you want a tea?».

«No, thanks».

«Are you sure? It takes me five minutes».

«Do you need help, Benji?».

«No, Ethan, I can do this alone. Seriously» Benji said when Ethan began to follow him into the kitchen. The oldest agent stopped and looked Ilsa suspiciously, while she approached to the cooker with Benji.

«You are saying that IMF…».

«They temporarily suspended me from field operations, a nice way to say… You know, after that thing in Kashmir…».

«Can I see?».

Benji took a moment and nodded, then Ilsa gently touch his neck: «How’s it, by the way?» she asked when she saw the greenish bruises under his neck.

«Better, now it hurts… hurts, uhm…» he mumbled and half-closed his eyes.

«Less?».

«Less, yeah. I don’t remember what… The kettle».

Benji walked away from Ilsa and he stood on tiptoe to catch the kettle. He watched it for a moment, as if he has no idea how to use it, and then picked up the water when Ilsa laid a hand on his forearm.

«Who in the hell am I kidding? I forget something every day and this bloody, stupid head doesn’t help me» he growled in his teeth.

«It will take you time, Benji, but…».

«Well, I’m glad you and Sloane agree about this» he said and closed the tap rabidly: «I’m sorry, Ilsa, it’s just… Sorry».

She did not answer him and Benji took three different cups from the shelf in front of him. He scratched the back of his head, and then he opened the cupboard under the window and took three tea bags. At the same time, Ilsa’s attention was captured by some sticky notes on the fridge, where Ethan’s handwriting remembered which medication to take, indicated where some tool was or reassured Benji that everything would be okay.

Benji had to notice her interest, because he said: «Ethan is very, uhm… Kind to stay with me every day».

«Really?».

He nodded. Ilsa liked the way Benji smiled when he mentioned Ethan.

«About Ethan…» Benji looked toward the living room and, when he was certain that Ethan was not listening, he approached to Ilsa: «I thought about what you said last time and I decided to tell him».

«When?».

«Tonight».

Ilsa’s sweet smile disappeared.

«Tomorrow he will go to a mission in Krakow and I would like to tell him before… I already have a plan».

«Benji…».

«I will cook – it would be embarrassing talk about this with a takeaway food».

«Benji…».

«And then… Yes?».

Ilsa opened her mouth, but suddenly reclosed it. She glanced away from Benji’s puzzled eyes and she looked the TARDIS-shaped clock hanged above the door.

«I… I’m really sorry, but I have to go».

«Now? But the tea is almost…».

«I’ll be here again tonight, before your dinner with Ethan» she promised him, without mentioning Luther’s presence with her: «As if I took it, alright?».

Benji shrugged and stiffened when Ilsa slightly patted him on the shoulder, then she left the kitchen and greeted Ethan as she left the apartment. The agent, however, did not answer.

 

*

 

«You had to tell him, Ilsa».

Ilsa stayed in silence while Luther parked outside Benji’s house. He was not angry, but this did not help to improve the mood inside the vehicle.

«Yesterday, when he left, Ethan asked us to keep an eye on him, not to deceive him».

«I know».

Luther opened the car door and took the takeaways, while Ilsa looked the lighted window near the entrance and thought to Benji’s loving smile when he talked about (and with) Ethan. Surely – and her heart tightened at the idea – Benji had the same smile in that moment, behind that window, as he spoke about his feelings for Ethan with the fruit of his imagination, contaminated by the lack of air with the hanging in Kashmir.

She descended by the car, followed Luther until the entrance and rang the bell, but Benji did not open in that time or when she rang again.

«Alright, then» Ilsa muttered and rummaged in her purse. Luther preferred to postpone about the burglar kit the former MI6 agent had with her and he left Ilsa opened the door.

«Benji».

Benji was on the couch and stared the switched-off screen of the TV, without giving any sign of hearing them. Ilsa sat beside him, but Benji didn’t move.

«Yesterday» he said after a moment: «Ethan has left to Krakow yesterday».

«Yes».

«So who was…?».

His lips trembled as the phrase faded in half. Ilsa surrounded him softly with her arms and she whispered him sorry a thousand times – about that afternoon, about Lane, about everything – while Luther took care of the burning smell from the kitchen.


End file.
